Giving Back

JULY 17, 2013

Pharmacists are in the center of their community, available for a consultation for a summer cold as well as medication therapy management for more critical health concerns. It is our honor to give back to the profession of pharmacy by honoring pharmacists in the Next-Generation PharmacistTM Awards program—which is now in its fourth year—in partnership with Parata Systems. The celebration begins with this issue in the special section that spotlights 30 men and women who have contributed their skills and passion to making a difference in the lives of others. These are the innovators, the heroes, and the face of pharmacy.

The commitment to patient care is a common theme in all of the profiles you’ll read here. Each one of these pharmacists illustrates the best of pharmacy with their accomplishments and their drive to improve health care and how it is delivered across the country. In fact, pharmacy is at a crossroads of sorts because of the Affordable Care Act and the changes that are occurring in all areas of health care. Pharmacists are vital to the health care team as patient care is increasingly coordinated across health care professionals. As the medication experts, their knowledge is critical to the success of any adherence and cost savings that this new legislation hopes to accomplish.

These Next-Generation PharmacistTM finalists represent the present and the future of pharmacy. From establishing new adherence models, to working with technology to improve outcomes and work flow, to creating new ways to reach patients, these pharmacists demonstrate the patient-centered focus that is at the heart of pharmacy. They are the entrepreneurs of your community, the civic leaders who volunteer their talent and time, and the younger professionals who use new skills to make life better for people. And they are leaders in pharmacy who always seek new and innovative ways to move the profession forward in this new environment.

So, we are pleased to highlight their stories and bring them to you. Pharmacy Times, along with Parata, will announce the winners of each of the 10 categories at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ Total Store Expo, coming up in early August in Las Vegas, and we invite you to join in the celebration (event information can be found at www.nextgenerationpharmacist.com). We honor all of these finalists here, and will do that also at the NACDS Total Store Expo. This unique program is our way of giving back to the profession—we believe in doing so in meaningful ways.